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Anybody can fall victim to a pest infestation. Certain factors can make you more susceptible to them such as location or poor sanitary conditions etc. but it is still, unfortunately, a common thing to experience. The key thing with any sort of pests within the home is being aware of them as early as possible. Such problems when dealt with quickly can prove to be nothing more than a minor annoyance but if left to deteriorate can pose serious issues. There are more things to look out for in your home than just the pests themselves and often these can be identified before seeing the actual pests themselves.
Rodents
Close view of a tiny house mouse (Mus musculus)
Rats and mice are probably the most common type of pests found in people’s properties. They are carriers of potentially lethal diseases and so can be harmful to your health if they are not dealt with quickly. If you do find one dead or alive you must not touch it barehanded. Rodent droppings are quite easily identifiable and if you find these again do not dispose of them without wearing gloves. However, there are many other tell-tale indications of rats or mice including: –
Gnawing
Rats and mice constantly gnaw on items such as skirting boards or pieces of furniture. Look out for small areas particularly on things made of plastic or wood which look to have been damaged by their teeth.
Grease Marks
The dirt and grease on the fur of rodents can leave smears and smudges around the house. Look at the walls, particularly around any holes or cracks. It can even be possible to find smear marks created from a passage that they are using on the other side of the wall.
Unusual Noises
You can go long periods of time without even seeing a rodent in your home as they tend to live in the cavities of your home. They can move around inside the house between floors and walls but doing so will often be audible. Particularly at night when they are more active listen out to see if you can hear the sound of movement or activity.
Footprints
Before sweeping areas have a quick look for any evidence of footprints. Their small paws leave their trails in patches of dust and due to the fact that they regularly follow the same routes they can become relatively easy to spot.
Termites & Wood Ants
The beauty of nature. ants in the garden, close up
These insects can be troublesome pests if left untreated. They all feed on the wood in your property and over time this could cause extensive damage. Potentially they could actually cause quite major structural problems if given long enough. These can be tougher to see than other pests but they too leave indicators of their presence: –
Holes & Cavities
Look at the wooden areas of your home and look if there are any small unnatural holes in them. The insects will burrow through the wood-eating it as they go and so will leave very small cylindrical holes. This can occur within the wood itself and not be visible from the outside so look if there are signs of weakness or indentations indicating further internal damage.
Disposed Wings
Termites and ants will often dispose of all of their wings before entering your home. There will be a large number of these insects entering through only a few cracks and so you might see a large pile of them. If that is the case you can be sure that they have got inside your home.
Have Regular Inspections
Pest inspector checking the ceiling
In spite of all of these signs showing the presence of pests in your home, they can still be very hard to find. It is highly recommended to have your home routinely checked on occasion to ensure that you do not have any secret guests. There will be many methods of inspection that only a pest control specialist will be able to administer so by having it done professionally you will be able to rest assured that there are no hidden critters tucked away within your home. As DIY pest control is a fool’s game.
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